Remote control system.



0.1. HENSCHEL. REMOTE CONTROL SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 9| 1914.

1,223, 169. Patented Apr. 17,1917.

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UNITED s'rn'rns PATENT orrion. I

cimnnns innnscnnn, or BLOOMFIELD, NEW JERSEY;

nn uo'rn oom'noi. SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 1?, 191?.

Application filed March 9, i914. seriai-no. 825,367.

Be it known that I, CHARLES J. HnNsoHn a citizen of the United States, residing at Bloomfield, inthe countyof Essex and State of New Jersey, have, invented certain new.

and useful Improvements in Remote Control Systems, of which the following is a specijust mentioned-,j and used mainly for purposesof signaling, but which may in some instances be employed withadvantage in various other relations.- I

By my invention I seek to followingdesirable results:

LTo reduce to a minimum the danger of accomplish the failure of the, system to cause a proper indication to. be made. at thereceiving station the receiving station unless such signal iswhen such signalisimpressed at the mitting station.

trans- II. To prevent any signal being given by one properly impressed at the transmitting station.

" III. To prevent any indication from being made at the receiving station unless certain movable parts, intefdependently associated with the signaling mechanism; be

actuated in connection with the transmission of the indication or signal.

IV.- To enable a large number of distinct f indications to be made by use of a relatively small number'of electric Tcircuits' employed for the purpose. 1

V. To insure the prompt and positive stoppage of certain movable parts used for displaying the signals transmitted.

VI. ,To facilitate the, reading of the indica'tions,by displaying the same upon a dial mechanism provided with displaylegends,

and so arranged and operated as to avoid undue (crowding of said legends when capable of making a'large number of indications. VII. To' so arrange the circuits used for signaling that two distinct parts of each circuit are separately. subjected to select1vity, so that no indication is made at thereceiving station unless both parts of the circuit a ected act in unison. I

VIII. To enable the system to automatithere are return wires.

As my invention may 'be large number of difierent ways, I do notreceiving station.

cally display a steady light when an indicatlon, independent of said light, is given, and

to automatically display a flickering light when certain troubles occur and said indication is not given. IX. To control the circuits from the transmitting station through a plurality of signal wires, and to control the return of these circuits by selectively establishing a return path through some one of a number of return wires, whereby each signal wire" may make as many selective indications as practised in a deem it necessary to explain the many different forms-of apparatus which could be employed in this relation. I will, therefore,

illustrate and describe only a single represignaling system "used, in this instance, as a ships telegraph and comprising 'a transmitting station, which may be located upon the bridge of the ship, and a receivingstaj 'tion which may be in the engineroom.)

' Reference is made to the accompanying 'sentative form of my invention, to wit, a;

drawing forming a partof this specification,

and in which like letters indicate like parts.

'Figure 1 is a general view, partly dia grammatic and partly in. front elevation with certain parts broken away, and show: I

ing my system complete.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line .2'2 of Fig.1, looking in the direction of the arrow.

I will first describe the mechanism of the A casing l contains-the mechanism used at thereceiving station, which in this instance I will suppose is located in the engine room off-a battle ship. 'Ifhis casing has a lid 2', which isprovided with peep holes or windows 3, i, in this instance two in number.

The casing 1 extends vertically, and at its bottom is provided with a guidingsleeve 5.

-.'Another guiding sleeve 6,-carried by the easing, is" lccated directly over the sleeve 5.

""Secured within the casing are a number of supports 7 having in this instance the form of miniature brackets, and secured upon these,

brackets is a switch plate 8. Mounted upon ion the switch plate 8 is a stub shaft 8*, and revolubly supported by this stub shaft is a sleeve 9; A display disk 10, a sprocket wheel 11 and a pulley 12 are mounted rigidly upon the sleeve 9, and revoluble therewith.

The display disk 10 carries a U-shapetl conductor 13 and a pair of contact members 14, 15 secured to the ends of this conductor, the contact members and conductor together constituting a contactor. Another conductor 16 and pair of contact members 17, 18, carried by the disk in question, together constitute another contactor.

A number of slip rings 19, 20, corresponding to the number of contactors, aremounted upon the switch plate 8. In this instance there are onlytwo of these slip rings but the number of slip rings and contactors may be increased, if desired, in order to multiply the number of indications which may be transmitted.

Three stationary contact members 21, 22 and 23, are carried by the switch plate 8 and are spaced equidistant, as indicated in Fig. 1.

A sprocket chain 24 engages the sprocket wheel 11, and also engages another sprocket wheel 25, which has half the diameter of the sprocket wheel 11, and is located upon a rev'oluble shaft 27. This shaft carries a display disk 26, which is provided with display legends as shown, the legends in this instance being merely the numbers 1, 2, 3.

The display disk 10 is likewise provided with a number of legends, in this instance six, namely, A, A, A, B, B, B. The legends A, A, A may here be interpreted to the effect that the engines are to proceed ahead, the legends B, B, B may indicate that the engines are to back, and the three numbers carried by the disk 26 may mean three diiferent conditions or degrees of speed, for instance slow, normal and fast.

Located within the casing 1 is a shutter 28, and above this shutter are two windings 29, 30 together constituting a doubly-wound solenoid.

A sliding rod 31, having its upper end of soft iron so as to serve as an armature for the solenoid, is slidably mounted in the sleeves 5, 6, and is adapted to be drawn upwardly when either winding of the solenoid is energized. The sliding rod 31 carries a contactor 32, which is insulated from it by an insulating washer 33. Two stationary .contact members 34, 35 are so located as to be simultaneously engaged by the contactor '32, so as to support the sliding rod 31 when the latter is in its lowermost position.

Mounted rigidly upon the sliding rod 31 is an arm 36, carrying a pawl 37 and a small.

idle pulley 38. Engaging this pulley is a belt 39, having in this instance the form of a flexible cable, and engaging a pulley 40.

. This pulley is carried by an electric motor I I 41 whereby it is actuated. The pulley 40,

upon the motor 41, is very small, so that the display disks which are connected. to the large pulley 12, rotate very slowly as compared-to the speed of rdtation of the motor 40, as it would be objectionable to have a display disk rotate rapidly and acquire 21 38, being lifted by the sliding rod 31, relaxes the tension of the belt 39, so that the motor 41 can have no effect upon any other movable parts which it normally drives.

I will now explain the mechanism at the transmitting station, as indicated in the lower portion of Fig. 1.

A pair of mains are shown at 42 and 43. Connected with the main 43 is a wire 44, which runs to a pilot lamp 45. A short wire 46 extends from this pilot lamp to a sta tionary contact sector 47. A switch arm 48 extends across this sector and carries two contact bridges 49, 50. This switch arm is provided with a handle 51 whereby it may be actuated. Disposed adjacent the sector 47 are a number of stationary contact members 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 and 57. A number of other stationary contact membersare shown at 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, and 63. Two wires 64, 65 are connected together and are also connect ed with the stationary contact members 52, 54 and 56. Another wire 66 is connected to the contact member 53 and to a wire 67, the latter leading to the contact members 55 and 57. A wire 69 leads from the contact member 58 to the contact member 59. A wire 70 connects together the contact members 60 and 63.

l A wire 71 is connected with the contact i'nembei' 56 and leads therefrom to the solenoid winding 29. Another wire 72 leads from the contactmember 57 to the solenoid u Ending 30.

Connected with the contact member 63 is a wire 73, which leads to the stationary contact member 23, supported by the switch plate 8. Similarly two wires 74, 75, connected. respectively with the contact members 5S and 61, lead therefrom to the contact members 21, 22 respectively. A wire 76 is connected with the wire 44 and the main 43 and leads to the contact member 35. A wire 77 is connected with a pilot lamp 78, and leads therefrom to the. motor 41. The pilot lamp 78 is connected by a wire 79 with the main 42 and with a wire 80, this wire leading" to a contact sector 81. A. wire 82 leads from the motor 41 to the contact member 34. A wire 83 extends from the contact member 61 to the contact member 62. Wires 84, 85 lead from the respective windings 'or idle, the switch handle 48 occupies its middle position, as indicated in Fig. l; the

solenoid windings 29 and 30 are deenergized,

and the sliding rod 31 occupies its lowermost position. The shutter 28 is down, and :obscures the Windows 3 and 4; the pilot lamp'45 makes no light; the motor 41 is in action, and the pilot lamp 78 burns steadily; the display disks 1O and 26 are rotating, but invisible because hidden by theshutter 28; the rotation of the display disk 26 is in a clockwise direction, and the rotation of the display disk lo is also in a clockwise direction, accordingto Fig. 1.

[If for any reason, the motor circuit becomes accidentally broken or inoperative,

I ;the pilot lamp -78 will disclose the existence of the trouble.

' to apprise-the operator at the receiving station to the effect that the engine is to go ahead, atthe slowest'of its three conventional "speeds. The legends for making this indication are the numeral 1, carried by the disk 26 and referring to speed, and one of .the letters A, carried by the disk 10, and referring to direction. The operator at the transmitting station grasps the handle '51 and. swings the switch arm 48 slightly to the right, so that the contact bridge 49 engages stationary contact member 54, and the contact bridge 50 extends from the contact sector-81 to the stationary" contact member '60. v

As the disks 10 and 26 are turnlng, as

above described, the contact members 15 and 18 carried by the disk 10 are sliding around upon the slip rings '19 and 20, and the'con tactmembers Hand 17 each intermittentlyengage the several stationary contact members 21,22 and 23." As soon as the movable contact member 14 engages the stationary contact member 23, or in other words, as soon as a wiping contact is made between these two contact members, the following circuit is completed:

Main 43, wire 44, pilot lamp 45, wire 46,

- sector 47, bridge 49, contact member 54, wire 65, wire 71,.winding 29, wire 85, slip ring 19, movable contact member 15, conductor 13,

' movable contact member 14, stationary conhas tact member 23, wire 73, contact member 63, wire 70,-contact member 60; bridge 50, sector 81, wire 80,'main 42 to source of elecproper one of the notches 37.

tricity (not shown), thence back to main 43. This circuit thereupon energizes the winding 29 and the pilot lamp 45,'so that thesliding rod 6 is raised and the pilot lamp 45 gives a steady light, which continues until the sliding rod 31 is lowered by'the opening of the circuit through the solenoid,

as controlled by the transmitting station.

I The operator at the transmitting station by observing the pilot lamp 45, is apprised that the signaling circuit through the winding 29 is in good order, and consequently that a signal is being displayed at the receiving station.

As the sliding rod 31 nioves upwardly,

carrying with it the shutter 28, the windows 3 and 4 are uncovered," and the operator at the receiving station can observe the legends upon the display disks 26 and 10. The ufp is -s5- the bridge 32 out of engagement'zwith the ward movement of the sliding rod 31 li stationary contact members 34 and 35. This opens the motor circuit, and allows the -motor to slow down and stop, which, however, may require some little timesay, half a minute. The lifting of the sliding rod 31,

carryingwith it the arm 36' causes'the idle pulley 38 to relax its pressure upon the belt 39,- and )in doing this virtually disconnects the motor 41 from the display disks 10 and 26. At the same time this occurs, the pawl 37 is brought into engagement with the display disk 10, and slips directly into the ruptly stops the rotation of both disks 10 and 26. a

This ab- 1 The operator atthetransmitting station knows, from observing a steady light given. ofl from the pilot lamp 45, that a signal is.

being properly displayed. He also knows, from the darkness of the lamp 78, that the motor circuit is now broken.

The disk 10 being now stationary, the

conductor 13 maintains theslip ring 19 constantly in circuit with the stationary contact member 23,so thatathe solenoid winding 29 remains energized, and the sliding rod 31 is supported in its uppermost position so long as the switch arm 48 remains in the position into which it has been shifted.

Consequently the signal thus displayed at the receiving station remains visible to the Operator at the station last mentioned, untilthe switch arm 48 is moved into some other position.

Suppose, now, that the operator at the vtransmitting station wishes to transmit the signal 2'. To do this, he shifts the switch arm 48 still farther to the right, that'- is, so

that. the bridges 49, 50 are respectively members 53 and This movement of the switch arm48, breaks the pr'eviously described circuits through the solenoid winding,29, which releases the sliding rod 31,

brought into engagement with the contact and lets it drop, thus releasing the pawl 37,

from engagement with the disk 10, and

starting the m0tor-41, and tightening the belt 39, so that the disk 10, commences to rotate, and when the movable contact 17, makesa wiping contact with the stationary contact 21, the solenoid is energized andthe motor and display disks brought to rest .again as the following circuits are estabdisk 10 to stop in such position that the mov-w able contact member 17, carried by it, is in engagement with the stationary contact member 21, the disk in questiton thus displaying the legend A. The disk 26 is stopped in such position as to display the legend 2. The complete indication, therefore, is 2 which means that the engine is to be driven ahead at its normal or intermediate speed. The pilot lamps and various other parts act as above described, the operator at'the transmitting station being thus duly apprised that the signal has been displayed; p

Similarly the operator at the transmitting station. in order to transmit the signal 3 which means that the engine is to go ahead at maximum speed, shifts the switch arm 48 still farther to the right, so as to bring the bridges 49, 50 into engagement with the contact members 52 and 58. The following circuit is thus completed:

Main 43, wire 44, pilot lamp 45, wire 46, sector 47, bridge 49, contact member 52, wires 64, 65, wire 71, winding 29, wire 85,

..slip ring 19, movable contact member 15,

conductor 13, movable contact member 14, stationar contact member 21, wire 74, contact member 58, bridge 50, sector 81, wire 80, main 42 to source of electricity, thence back to main 43. This causes a cycle of movements to take place substantially as above described, the display disk 10 being stopped in such position as to display a legend A, the display disk 26 being stopped in such position as to display the legend consisting of the numeral 3. The total indication therefore is 3 Suppose, now, that the operator at the transmitting station wishes to transmit a signal to the effect that the engine is to back at its minimum speed. He shifts the switch arm 48 to the left of its normal position aci cording to Fig. 1, sojthat. the bridges 49, 5O

errgagethe contact members 55 and 61.

The following circuit is was completed: Main 43, Wire 44, pilot lamp 45, W re 46, sector 47, bridge 49, contact member 55, wire 67, contact member 57, wire 72, solenoid winding 30, wire 84, slip ring 20, movable contact member 18, conductor 16, movable contact member 17, stationary contact memher 22 (now engaged by the latter), wire 75, contact member 61, bridge 50, sector 81,

wire 80, main 42 to source of electricity,

thence back to main 43.

The operations above described with reference to other signaling circuits traced are -n0w substantlallyrepeated, the indication Main 43, wire 44, pilot lamp 45, wire 46,- i

sector 47, contact member 56, wire 71, solenoid Winding 29, wire 85, slip ring 19, movable contact member 15, conductor 13, movable contact member 14, stationary contact member 22, Wire 7 5, contact member 61, wire 83, contact member 62, bridge 50, sector 81, wire 80, main 42 to source of electricity, thence back to main 43. The apparatus now makes the indication last mentioned.

Suppose that the switch arm 48 be moved still farther to the left, so that the bridges 49, 50 are brought into engagement with the contact members 57, 63.

The following circuit is thus completed: Main 43, wire 44, pilot lamp 45, wire 46, sector 47, bridge 49, contact member 57, wire 72, solenoid winding 30, wire 84, slip ring 20, movable contact member 1.8, conductor 16, movable contact member 17, stationary contact member 23, wire 73, contact member 63, bridge 50, sector 81, wire 80, main 42 to source of electricity, thence backto main 43. This circuit causes the various steps to take place substantially as above described, the disks 26 and 10 being stopped in such p0sitions as to display the legends 3 lVhen the proper signal has been displayed in the engine room, the pilot lamp 45 burns steadily and the pilot lamp 78 is dark.

Suppose, next, that duringthe operation of the system the solenoid fails to lift the sliding rod 31 from its normal position, in this event the motor circuit remains closed and the pilot lamp 78 so indicates. If the motor is turning the disk 10, and the pawl fails to stop it, and the wiping contacts fails to burn when another legend should be displayed; then either the motor does not,

run properly or the pawl 87 has locked the rotating disks, or they are stuck and only one correct, but no incorrect signal can be displayed without the knowledge of the transmitting operator.

If both pilot lamps burn steadily at the same time,a fault is indicated at the trans mitting station.

It will be noted that the mechanism at the transmitting station, in controlling the circuits leading to the receiving station, is selective in two relations. That is to say, the transmitting switch acts selectively upon portions of the circuit leading from the transmitting switch to the receiving station, and also acts selectively upon the so-called return paths along which the current flows.

By this arrangement, each wire used for signaling can make as many selective indications as there are return wires. The number of indications possible for a given number of signal wires is thus greatly increased. As may be understood from the foregoing description, my system admits of reliable 25. and eflicient construction embodying a minimum liability to give false signals, and wen adapted to indicate, at distances remote from the receiving station, that the indication has been properly made.

there is a failure in the action of any electric circuit, or in the proper functioning of any mechanical part, no indication at all is made, or else the operator at the transmitting station is duly apprised of the existence of a fault.

This is upon the well known principle that a false indication is far worse than no indication, and that the failure of an indica- 40 tion is worse if unknown than if known, to

the transmitting operator.

I do not limit myself to the precise construction shown as variations may be made therein without departing from the spirit of my invention.

Neither do I limit myself to any particular use which may be made of my invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is as follows:

-1. A remote control system comprising a movable and several stationary contact members, a motor to continuously move the movable contact member into successive contact 5.6 with said stationary contact members, successive control circuits through the movable and stationary contact members and electro magnetic means to stop the movement at a predetermined. position by energizing any one of said circuits.

2. A remote control signaling system comprising a signal member, a plurality of controlling circuits for said signal member, a normally continuously driven motor, contact mechanism driven by said motor for open It will also be noted that if for any reason mg and closing said circuits successively in order to cause said signal to display successive indications, and mechanism remote from said motor'for stopping the latter at any predetermined one of said indications.

3. In a remote control signaling system, the combination of a signal member,a motor" for normally actuating the same continu ously, a plurality of electric circuits, contact mechanism connected with said circuits for opening and closing the same, said contact mechanism being normally actuated by said motor, and means controllable by said circuits and said contact mechanism for stopping said motor when said signal member indicates a predetermined signal.

4. A remote control si naling system comprising a signal mem er, non-reversing mechanism for actuating the same, a plu rality of electric circuits each connected with said mechanism and selectively adapted to control the same, and a shutter to normally obscure said indicating member and means connected with said circuits and mechanism to open the shutter at predetermined intervals. I 4

5. A remote control system comprising a movable indicating member, means for actuating the same continuously in one direction, mechanism controllable-from the transmitting station for stopping said indicating member in a predetermined position, and a shutter also controllable from the transmitting station for preventing any indication 5 except the proper one.

6. In a, remote control system the combinationv of an indicating mechanism, a

motor for continuously actuating the same in one direction, and selective mechanism connected with said indicating mechanism and with said motor, and controllable at a distance therefrom, for stopping said motor and disconnecting said motor from said indicating mechanism. ii

7. In a remote control system, the c'ombination of an indicating mechanism, a motor for actuating the same continuously in one direction in order to bring said indi-' cating mechanism into successive positions for making different indications, shutter mechanism for normally preventing said indicating mechanism from being observed, and selective mechanism controllable at a ,distance from said indicating mechanism,

1,; for stopping said indicating mechanism and remov ng said shutter me hanism.

8. In a remote contro system, the combination of a plurality of revoluble display members geared together and each provided with legends, means for normally turning 5 said revoluble display members in order to form successive groups of legends, shutter mechanism disposed adjacent said display members In order to normally hide said groups of legends as formed, and mechanism and said shutter mechanism and controllable selectively from a distance for stopping said revoluble displaymembers in predetermined relative positions, and actuating said shutter mechanism so as to display a predetermined group of legends.

9. In a remote control system, the combination of a revoluble display member provided awith intelligible characters, a motor for turning said revoluble display member, a second revoluble display member geared to said first mentioned revoluble display member andprovided likewise with intelligible ch-aracters,. said second-.men-..-

tioned display member having a speed of rotation greater than said first-mentioned means controllable at a distance fromsaid display members for selectively stopping said display members, in predetermined T613:-

tive position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES J. nnnsonnn Witnesses: I

WALTON HARRISON, DONALD M. Buss. 

